Conventionally, LPG containers used for housing gasses like LPG in compressed form are made of metal in order to ensure resistance to pressure. However, since these metal pressure-resistant containers are very heavy, they require a great deal of effort to handle and transport, and they are also very costly.
A national project to make pressure-resistant containers from Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP) has been implemented in order to solve the difficulties posed by these metallic containers. The development of FPR pressure-resistant containers bas been very effective in creating light and cost effective containers which can be transported easily and mass produced at a low cost.
A project wherein the FRP pressure-resistant containers are manufactured using a braiding process and using a filament winding process where yarn is rotated and wound around the container is currently being undertaken.
The braiding process simultaneously assembles multiple yarns into braids, thereby increasing productivity, and improving mass-produceability. A braiding machine has the drawback of using small bobbins that are quickly depleted and thus difficult to process continuously, but by employing automatic bobbin replacement techniques, high productivity can be achieved for continuous processing. Further, when environmental issues are taken into consideration, although thermosetting resin is difficult to recycle, by using thermoplastic resin, containers that are easily recycled and environment-friendly can be produced.
The filament winding process uses thermosetting resin, creating great environmental concern because it cannot be recycled. Conversely, the FRP process uses hardly any thermoplastic resin.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to propose a system for producing light, cost-effective, pressure-resistant containers for storing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and the like by combining plastic molding and braiding techniques in order to continuously form the braided body by continuously combining multiple yarns around a continuous hollow plastic liner wherein the continuously braided hollow container is cut at a fixed location. This hollow container forming system is a braiding process that welds a plug in the area where an opening is cut.
A second object of the present invention is to propose the production of tough, light, recyclable, pressure-resistant containers.